Technical Abstract:
The new multi-factor Prairie Heating and CO2 Enrichment is a field experiment for subjecting a northern mixed-grass prairie, with and without weeds, to elevated CO2 and warming. This new experiment combines Free Air CO2 Enrichment (FACE) technology with a newly designed ceramic heater system for experimental warming. DAYCENT model projections of the experimental conditions suggest that increased CO2 (ambient plus 230 ul l-l CO2) and temperature (ambient plus 1.5 C daytime and 3.0 C nighttime) treatments for the next five years will alter soil water and nutrient cycling, imposing strong indirect effects on ecosystem productivity.